Research in my laboratory is focused on the mechanisms underlying neuronal patterning with emphasis on phosphorylation of bHLH transcriptional repressors such as E(spl) and Hairy.  The activities of these proteins, members of the HES family of repressors, are vital for patterning of sensory organs such as the bristles and the eye.  The regulation of these bHLH repressors is being studied by genetic and developmental approaches.  Our studies suggest that CK2 phosphorylation stabilizes a conformational state that is permissive for neural repression.  This conformational change also impacts the recruitment of Groucho, a co-repressor for all HES proteins.  Our results suggest that CK2 is an important participant in inhibitory Notch signaling in Drosophila.  Relevance to mammalian eye development is likely since Hes6, which regulates photoreceptor differentiation in the mouse model, is targeted by CK2 in a manner similar to that of Drosophila E(spl)/Hairy proteins.